The event also included legislative candidates for District 57, which represents Rosemount and Apple Valley.

Contenders didn’t hold back the mud slinging as they pointed fingers at one another for state education funding shifts.

Democrats blamed Republicans for the funding shifts imposed last legislative session, while Republicans pointed the finger at Democrats for previous funding shifts. Both blamed one another for the state’s budget deficits.

“We need to look at per pupil funding,” Anderson said. “District 196 is getting better funding now. Democrats gave more to Minneapolis and St. Paul. Republicans are funneling more to District 196.”

Additionally, Anderson noted that education comprises a large portion of the state budget to date.

Masin painted a very different picture, noting that Republicans have failed to adequately fund the school district.

“We need to keep up with inflation,” she said.

Masin said she is concerned changes to education funding have led to larger class sizes and additional fees imposed on families.

“I’m amazed how much it costs to keep families in public schools,” she said.

Masin added that the state has failed to properly fund early childhood education.

Halverson agreed that education has not been adequately funded under a Republican majority, adding that funding shifts have caused property taxes to jump by $370 million.

“Anyone who says we are funding education adequately is wrong,” he said, noting that District 196 borrowed $15 million last summer to balance its budget as a result of funding shifts and the state shutdown.

Tax increases?

When asked whether they would raise taxes to adequately fund education, opponents again took very different paths.

Masin again accused Republicans of failing to balance the budget due to their stance on taxes.

“How can you balance a budget when you take a loan from the schools?” she asked rhetorically. “We need to figure out what our priorities are. We know that people are willing to fund things that are important to them.”

Halverson said she would be willing to raise taxes, but would want to first look for efficiencies that could be made.

“We need to look at the tax code,” she said. “It has become lopsided.”

Anderson and Wardlow were adamantly against raising taxes and noted during the last session that they managed to reduce government waste.